Nintendo Wii launches in Europe

By Tom Bramwell Published 8 December, 2006

London launch "bedlam".

Nintendo Wii launches in Europe today, with widespread predictions of a sell-out following "bedlam" at launch events in London.

HMV's head of games Tim Ellis told our sister site GamesIndustry.biz that the retailer could have sold out its allocation many times over.

HMV apparently fielded 1200 Wii-related calls in the day before launch, roughly three quarters of which were from people wondering if they'd be able to get one without a pre-order. "So we could have taken another thousand orders today. It's just bedlam, really," he explained.

'Nintendo Wii launches in Europe' Screenshot 1

Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton said he wasn't surprised by the demand, and reiterated Nintendo's targets. "We're well on track to ship four million consoles by the end of the year, and by the end of our financial year in March we'll be on track for six million," he told GI.biz, adding that the US and Japanese response so far has been "phenomenal".

Nintendo Wii retails for GBP 179.99 in a bundle that includes a Wii-mote, nunchuk, composite video cable, sensor bar, a couple of AA batteries (natch) and a copy of Wii Sports. Launch titles include The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (yes, review today), Red Steel, Rayman: Raving Rabbids and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz.

Games like WarioWare: Smooth Moves, Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime: Corruption will follow in 2007.

Check back later for more in depth coverage of last night's London launch shenanigans, where Ellie met Pat Cash and Ian Wright got heckled for not knowing what Zelda is.

For more Wii launch excitement, check out our photo gallery.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (74) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Scimarad #1 5 years ago

    Go, Wii!

    I've decided I can wait for a while - I was mostly buying one for Zelda but I've decided to get the Cube one. I'll see if anything else interesting materialises for the Wii before getting one.

    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 09:14

  • Killerbee #2 5 years ago

    Mine arrived bright and early from Amazon this morning - I'm yet to set it up, but early first impressions are that the packaging is very Apple-esque (in a good way!) and everything's a lot smaller than I expected!

    Still waiting for my copies of Zelda and Wii Play from Amazon though. Until then, I might give the virtual console a go... Super Mario 64? :D

  • Artemis_Matsas #3 5 years ago

    I'm getting mine today :D + Zelda+extra wiimote with Wii Sports
    Yes, i'm quite happy :):):)

  • HappyTreeFriend #4 5 years ago

    Awesome launch. Haven't been this excited in ages. Dunno why, but only Nintendo launches seem to make me 12 again, maybe its a nostalga thing perhaps. All i know is that plugging it in to the work TV this morning first thing, and playying my first game of Wii Tennis will stay with me. Now i just have to get through work today, with the Wii sat all fresh on my desk....

  • spliffhead #5 5 years ago

    Picked mine up from Game at 7.00am, but....

    Extra Wiimotes not released until next week, Wii play only way to get another.

    No component cables till next week either.

    From what I've heard Zelda is in good supply but Rayman and especially Monkey Ball is going to be hard to find after 24hours or so.

    All the best!

  • sdrawkcabonit #6 5 years ago

    Stupid Ian Wright... Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!!

    STUPID!!!

  • secombe #7 5 years ago

    No mention of the massive allocation changes causing retailers no end of problems? I know of at least 3 stores (Argos, Woolies, Gameplay) who have received far less than expected.

    It would be nice to get some clarification on this as it seems quite major and has been glossed over so far, apparently Argos are at least several thousand short.

  • BM #8 5 years ago

    I might go down to Oxford Street at lunchtime and see what the carnage is like

  • Nova5lag #9 5 years ago

    Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

    I had to pre-order mine in Milton Keynes near parents house so they are picking it up and bringing it to Bath later! woop!

  • faselei #10 5 years ago

    Its all soo exciting! This one has caused quite a stir, lots of covergae ont he news and so on.

    Nintendo have so much positive customer feeling, it seems everyone i talk to wants to Wii to succeed, regardless of how good it really is.

  • Sorb #11 5 years ago

    "(yes, review today)"

    Now where did I hear that before? I´m not holding my breath this time... Then again you have another week until the true version of Zelda TP is released (the Gamecube version!).

  • lambtron #12 5 years ago

    Here in France there seem to be plenty of games and accessories available.

    Getting an actual Wii though seems impossible.

  • Pac #13 5 years ago

    My pre-order at HMV is not forthcoming.

    Any ideas where to pick one up in South London?

  • HappyTreeFriend #14 5 years ago

    "Nintendo have so much positive customer feeling, it seems everyone i talk to wants to Wii to succeed, regardless of how good it really is. "

    Absolutely. Everyone i work with (not into games at all) know about it, and my boss now wants one after showing me his swing at Wii golf. After just an hour of playing, i know i made the right choice. Must. Work.....But.....want....more...wii sports.

    Tonight, friends, alcohol, and Wiiiiiiiiiiiii
    Life is good.... :D
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 09:29

  • thegouldfish #15 5 years ago

    I hvae my Wii (yeah for midnight launches!), but not managed to play it yet, there seems to be an issue with the suppiles of Wii play and Wiimotes as some shops had them while others did not.

    There was about 100+ people Queing up to get one last night at the Edinburgh gamestation.

  • Sandbox #16 5 years ago

    Just blew over £600 in Game - Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii gone!

    Updating......

  • rudedudejude #17 5 years ago

    /awaits delivery of Shiny Wii

  • Steroyd #18 5 years ago

    Tonight, friends, alcohol, and Wiiiiiiiiiiiii

    And a broken TV.

  • Talha #19 5 years ago

    Good - the excitement is infectious. If only EG had refrained from including a reference in the subheading which reminds me of James Blunt, the BORINGEST musician since...since...eternity.

  • Muddtallica #20 5 years ago

    Talha: Come on man, be strong. The word "bedlam" existed long before that retard came and soiled it...if you let him claim it completely, then he's won.

  • mazzl #21 5 years ago

    @HappyTreeFriend
    dude 12 year old's are not allowed to drink yet!
    (i'm not as think as you drunk i am)
    ;)

    in The Netherlands wii is all sold out.. on pre-order, so i will try again next week, b00 N... unofficial internet "bla" informes us that The Netherlands only got about 3500 wii's for launch..

    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 09:44

  • pollster #22 5 years ago

    Got my wii but have to wait until 22/12 for my component cables, even though I pre-ordered them on the 2/11 :(

    Ahh well, will just have to get used to margarine vision on my plasma until then.

  • lambtron #23 5 years ago

    lol @ Talha and Muddtallica

  • peterfll #24 5 years ago

    "Ian Wright got heckled for not knowing what a video game is"

    \fixed

    You know, grabbing you x-list celebs to promote your launch when they actually know jack-shit about your product and \ or market really really makes you look stupid and simply devalues the whole thing.

    They should have got Delia Smith.

  • EzekielKnight #25 5 years ago

    Hey thegouldfish! Number 3 here in the 'burgh. What number did you have? :)

    Stuck in work with my Zelda manual :S

  • Pac #26 5 years ago

    No Wii anywhere in London.

    EG you can stick that Zelda review now, it's the last thing I want to see.

    What's so infuriating is that I just want to play Zelda - should I just buy the Cube version?

  • Steroyd #27 5 years ago

    If you want to just play Zelda without being suckered into buying a wii I think you should.... but you have to wait till next week for it to launch. :'(

  • ronindennis #28 5 years ago

    Mazzl, don't worry. The next shipment to the Netherlands is on the 11th. I was at Intertoys buying some games (man, they had a LOT of games. Rayman and Zelda stacked to the ceiling!) and you could already sign up for the next lot. There was a guy in front of me who was number 4, no-one else around.

    Of course, that WAS yesterday... I don't know about the chaos now, though...

  • parablax #29 5 years ago

    just phoned argos hotline to confirm delivery - apparently their drivers are delivering 12,000 wii's today across the country!!!!

  • apolloscollapse #30 5 years ago

    Theres like one white guy in that picture. Lol

  • tonynibbles #31 5 years ago

    Man!

    Woolworths delivery delayed today! So probbaly wont get it till lunchtime. So annoyed, but glad that its still on the way, none the less.

    Oh and you can get a spare controller + WiiPlay at GAME for £34.99...

    I've got no Wii, just my Wii Stick :(

  • Psi #32 5 years ago

    my wii experiance this morning was marred by a greedy wench.

    grainger games in sunderland 1 hour before opening and just me and a bloke waiting there. great crack and a bloody nice bloke. the shop opened an hour early and we waited for the clerk to sort things out as me and this other guy waited. then this oldish lady came in and kinda tried to jump the queue in front of me :S erm manners, the clerk wasnt an idiot and just looked at me and asked what games i wanted with mine

    zelda, monkeyball(only copy they had) red steel just for the sake of it

    by now a disabled japanese guy was in the shop and two people looking at playstation2 games... weirdos

    she asks for two, totally robbing this poor lad of a wii. she was gonna wrap them up apparently for he son and daughter... i smell an ebayer...

  • HappyTreeFriend #33 5 years ago

    Tonight, friends, alcohol, and Wiiiiiiiiiiiii

    And a broken TV.

    LOL

    Im considering buying another copy of Wii play if necessary, just for the wiimote. Crazy, but i have demanding pals, they all want my Wii (thank you thank you)

    /begrudingly returns to work....

  • haowan #34 5 years ago

    @Psi: What a bitch! Christ
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 10:03

  • thegouldfish #35 5 years ago

    EzekielKnight: number 13!

    I wish I grabbed some of the manuals to read at work, but I think it might have made the wait to get home worst.

    Oh and the Female Luigi was HOT! and even better I knew her!

  • lambtron #36 5 years ago

    Female Luigi?

    That is not a pleasant image ;).

  • Talha #37 5 years ago

    @Muddtallica: Thanks for the comforting hand of solace - I can walk again with my head raised!

    @PSi: That must have sucked big time. My sympathies - and let's pray the Wiis of that Japanese guy and that old lady explode in their hands!! ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 10:16

  • The12thMonkey #38 5 years ago

    Oh it would be so sweet... if the shipment of remotes destined for my local Gamestation had not gone walkies on route. So I had to settle for just 1. Oh well. Lots of Wii Sports was played last night. Now, onto Zelda... See you in a month.

  • Psychotext #39 5 years ago

    Queued up for 4 hours in a 24 hour asda... was 13th of 20. Bought the console, wii play and a nunchuck. Went home and played Wii Sports until about 04:00 with my 14 year nephew and 65 year old mother. Awesome. Everything I expected it to be and more.

    Good luck to everyone still trying to get one.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #40 5 years ago

    Please never, ever type 'natch' in an article again.

    It makes my skin crawl.

  • Tomster #41 5 years ago

    @apollopsimopsi... and that is funny how?

    Anyway, my flatmate got one and it's looking lovely. Just wish they had invested in a little bit more powerful hardware. Oh well, i'm just a graphics whore ;)

  • ram #42 5 years ago

    Spare a minute for the word 'bedlam' if you will. It used to be associated with rioting ruffians ripping up rural villages and rogering pretty young maidens.

    Now it is used to depict orderly queues of geeks lining up for a £200 game console.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #43 5 years ago

    Actually, it was the name of a mental hospital...

  • rhinoxious #44 5 years ago

    Game on oxford street was insane last night, must have been 500 odd people queing at midnight. I was out on the piss anyway so I though I'd go and have a look, but it was a two hour queue, and all those people had pre-ordered anyway!!!

    Went back at 9.30 this morning, got wii plus zelda and wii play. No component cables though. Seemed to have plenty of stock and I only queued for about fifteen minutes.

    The manager was saying that would start letting stock go to 'non-pre-orderers' am 1pm.

  • DaveyJ666 #45 5 years ago

    I got my Wii this morningm with:

    • 2 copies of Zelda, (1 for my kid bro for Xmas)
    • 2 Memory Cards, (Again 1 for my kid bro for Xmas)
    • 1 Wii Play
    • 2 nunchuks, (Yes you guessed it right, one for my bro)

    But I forgot to get an extra Wii Remote for my bro, but have one booked on Play.com from months ago, so should get one after Xmas.

    It sucks though, I'm in work now and won't get home till bout 7 this evening! But my boss bought one this morning as well and he said he was gonna set it up to the tv later!

  • Darren #46 5 years ago

    Still waiting for my Wii to be delivered from Gameplay.com but I'm gutted that the RGB SCART and component video cables I'd pre-ordered from Play.com have been delayed so that means having to play Wii games in yucko-composite-o-vision! :(

  • gizmo #47 5 years ago

    Yes, they definately missed a H out of composite.

  • DCrider360 #48 5 years ago

    got mine @ 12.00a.m this morn @ gamestation brum!
    nintendo's got ANOTHER hit on their hands people!!!


    nice and small, very eligant too, it looks like a wii360 crimbo over here!!

  • mazzl #49 5 years ago

    @ronindennis
    a ok, i guess i'll be going in town tonight to place an order :)
    would be nice to play zelda over the holiday
    (this would be my first zelda ever, if it doesn't live up to the hype i'll be back bitching and.. bla bla .. )

  • MrFlintBlackman #50 5 years ago

    Got mine 7:11am this morning JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Pachinko #51 5 years ago

    Does VirtualConsole and WiiConnect24 work for you? My Wii stubbornly declines them (not available at the moment) although it's connected to the internet just fine.

  • Tonka #52 5 years ago

    Coming back from lunch to a Zelda review would make my day. Or maybe it would just make it feel even longer.

    /ponders faking illness

  • GiantHaystax #53 5 years ago

    My mates pre order fell through at gamestation, so I went on the prowl for one for him this morning. First stop comet - All pre ordered. next currys - Didn't get even 1 unit in and won't until 2007 apparently. WHSmiths - Wii doesn't exist, Woolworths - Sold out signs over the boxes (don't think they got any). So off I went into town to collect my gamestation pre order that had come through. They didn't have any wii plays but managed to get a copy from woolworths and most places seemed to have laods of them yet gamestation never got any. They had mad catz component cables but I never bothered getting one as the 360 is using that connection, maybe ill get rgb scart at a later date.

    Now back home but I can't go on it as got to go to a 4 hour meeting at work even though it's my day off.

    Supposed to be going out and geting pissed tonight, Fuck that.
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 11:04

  • ruckus #54 5 years ago

    Amazon delivered this morning but I'll have to shop around for Wii Play, though Raving Rabbids, Zelda's (and Vegas) coming tomorrow.
    Let the fun begin ^_^

  • HazyUK #55 5 years ago

    Loving it so far. This weekend is the weekend of Zelda!

    But have no places got Wii Play?
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 11:09

  • SpielFuhrer #56 5 years ago

    Wii arrived this morning but I've got the work thing so long day for me... managed to pick up Wii Play from Game, loads of boxes on display yet I was told that mine was the last one? now just waiting for Zelda to be delivered and my launch weekend will be complete!

  • SeanLB #57 5 years ago

    My mother obliviously preordered mine as a Chrimbo present from Littlewoods so I had to cancel my preorder at Game. So I expect mine not to be sent out anytime before Chrimbo knowing Littlewoods standards. I hate catalogues.

  • GiantHaystax #58 5 years ago

    Just had a quick go before going to a meeting at work. It's awesome . Gonna wipe the floor with everything else.

  • Foxclose #59 5 years ago

    Just to let you know that Amazon.co.uk have more in stock to sell at 3pm today! So get ready to do quick 1-click purchases!

  • HappyTreeFriend #60 5 years ago

    [link url=http://www.ni ntendo-europe.com/NOE/en/GB/news/article.do?elementId=Tm4lZZ nV_rDKaGvpvVC-3TAYbjpiw6FW
    ]http://ww w.nintendo-europe.com/NOE/en/GB...[/link]

    Just had a look on the Official Ninty site, apparently, at some point you'll be able to by Wii points using your stars points. Got 1000s of them on theere, so about time they came in handy!
    Edited by 2 at 08/12/06 @ 11:45

  • linksdad #61 5 years ago

    Queued up outside game this morning and had a fleeting 1/2 hour on wii sports and wii play before work, cant wait to get home tonight, but then its the work do (boo for free beer and food!!!!!) so I will probably save Zelda untill tomorrow

  • skillian #62 5 years ago

    Can anyone confirm the FCC ID on the remote begins withe letters P-O-O?

    Surely someone at the FCC is taking the piss?

  • fantabulo #63 5 years ago

    I was offered one by a friend but declined, having just bought some ps2 games. Wish I hadn't done that.

  • rhinoxious #64 5 years ago

    Has anyone managed to get or even seen an RGB scart or Component lead?

    Why can't manufacturers sort out stock of these essential extras?

  • Santino #65 5 years ago

    i got a madcatz component cable. the difference in zelda is pretty damn big i recommend waiting for cables before playing. absolutely love the system so far.

  • mrbandersnatch #66 5 years ago

    Yes, nice orderly queue at Game in Kingston (the Bentalls one - isnt it wierd that they actually have TWO Game stores here?) and got my Wii + Wii play + Zelda. I overheard one of the assistants claim that they had "thousands" in stock and it would be possible to buy one later today without a pre-order! From the looks of it though there will be a definate shortage of some games - they only seemed to have about 10 copies of Zelda left....

    HOWEVER...since its a Christmas present for me and the kids (only way to get it past my wife without the standard 30 minute ****** lecture on the fact that we have 3 PCs, 2 laptops, 2 DSs, XBox, PS2, Dreamcast, X-Arcade etc. etc. ) I have to wait till the 25th to open it!!!

    Im actually looking forward to Christmas this year :)

  • [DVDF]Gooner #67 5 years ago

    Sounds like a properly equipped modern and progressive household.

    Will you be my dad?

  • ED209 #68 5 years ago

    I wish someone would say how shit it is, cos everytime someone says it's AWESOME I die inside, and the cry a little.

    Where is my god now!
    Forget the baby bejesus in the manger.
    Forget your miracles on 34th street (or was that santa, had wicked skills anyhow)
    Forget the african children, they don't even know it's christmas ffs!

    I just want one stinking Wii under the tree.

    /burns in hell, with some ironic punishment - a fresh wii, a mint copy of zelda, and a wiimote without batteries...or sumink.

  • lambtron #69 5 years ago

    Wow the Wii really does appeal to new people - even ED209 wants in.

    When you buy stuff in shops do you say stuff like:

    YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS TO COMPLY!

    ;)
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/06 @ 13:31

  • ED209 #70 5 years ago

    Dunno, never been in any shops, can't get up the first few steps.

  • skillian #71 5 years ago

    ROFL, great answer :D

  • eurisko2k #72 5 years ago

    played one for the first time to day wii sports and wii play we've had soo much fun and it's just brilliant.. Go Wii

  • Vin #73 5 years ago

    Good lord, what an awful launch lineup.

    Give it a good year or so and hopefully, some decent games might show up.

  • L0cky #74 5 years ago

    Woolies didn't have any 'controllers for nintendogs'.

    Luckily gamestation got a load of copies of Wii Play this morning oO